Mandevilla plant named ‘FG1PK’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘FG1PK’, characterized by its upright, moderately vining and relatively compact plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; marbled red purple and light red purple-colored flowers; and year-round flowering.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla splendens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FG1PK’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla splendens andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘FG1PK’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation ofMandevilla splendens ‘DIP 79’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,698.The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor ona single plant within a population of plants of ‘DIP 79’ grown in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Hawthorne, Fla. on Jan. 10, 2009.The new Mandevilla was selected on the basis of its unique flowercoloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by tip cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse in Hawthorne, Fla. since Jan. 15, 2009, has shownthat the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘FG1PK’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘FG1PK’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Upright, moderately vining and relatively compact plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.    -   3. Marbled red purple and light red purple-colored flowers.    -   4. Year-round flowering.

Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the parent,‘DIP 79’, in flower color as plants of ‘DIP 79’ have vibrant red-coloredflowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevilla‘Red Riding Hood’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants ofthe new Mandevilla differ from plants of ‘Red Riding Hood’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla are less vining than plants of        ‘Red Riding Hood’.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Red Riding Hood’.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla have lighter green-colored        leaves than plants of ‘Red Riding Hood’.    -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla have slightly smaller flowers        than plants of ‘Red Riding Hood’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘FG1PK’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of a plant of ‘FG1PK’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown during the spring and early summer in one-gallon containersin a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Hawthorne, Fla. and underconditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions.During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 29° C.and night temperatures averaged 21° C. Plants were eight months old whenthe photographs and description were taken. Plants were pinched onetime. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla splendens ‘FG1PK’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Mandevilla    splendens ‘DIP 79’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,698.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 40 days            at 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 50 days            at 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, moderately vining and            relatively compact plant habit; vigorous growth habit;            freely branching habit with about five primary lateral            branches, primary lateral branches with two to three            secondary branches; dense and bushy appearance; pinching            enhances lateral branch development.        -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.        -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 40 cm by 48 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter:            About 5 mm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm. Strength:            Flexible, strong. Texture, young stems: Sparsely pubescent.            Texture, developed stems: Woody, glabrous. Color, young            stems: Close to 146C. Color, developed stems: Close to 199A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 7 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;            leathery.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,            close to 139B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146B; venation, close to 146C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to            146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers            arranged in loose terminal and axillary racemes; flowers            face outwardly and upright; freely flowering habit with            about 35 to 40 flowers developing per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Mandevilla begin            flowering about three months after planting and flower            continuously year-round in Florida.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Flowers last about four to            five days; flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 9 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted; petals imbricate; flowers salverform and            roughly star-shaped. Diameter: About 7.3 cm. Depth (length):            About 6.6 cm. Throat diameter: About 1.6 cm. Tube length:            About 5.4 cm. Tube diameter, mid-section: About 1.4 cm. Tube            diameter, base: About 5 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.            Shape: Cylindrical, pointed. Color: Close to 62B, 62C and            62D; darkest towards the apex.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused            into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal lobe length:            About 3.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.8 cm. Petal lobe            shape: Roughly elliptical. Petal apex: Acuminate; apices            reflexed. Petal margin: Entire, slightly sinuate. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Throat and tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to 68A to 68B.            Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to 63C to 63D.            Petal, fully opened, upper surface: Close to 63B, 63C and            63D, marbled; venation, close to 63B. Petal, fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 63D and 65C to 65D, marbled;            venation, close to 63D. Throat: Close to 170B; thin stripes,            close to 13B; venation, close to 170B. Tube: Close to 63D            and 65C to 65D, streaked; towards the base, close to 145D;            venation, close to 65D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement and appearance: Five per flower in a            single whorl; fused towards the base. Length: About 7 mm.            Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper surface: Close to 145C. Color, lower surface:            Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Angle: About 30 to 45° from the stem axis. Color: Close to            146C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About            1.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Strength: Flexible, but            strong. Angle: About 15 to 25° from the stem axis. Color:            Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:            Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,            connivent. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament color:            Close to 155C. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length:            About 9 mm. Anther color: Close to 161C. Pollen amount:            Scarce to none. Pollen color: Close to 161D. Pistils:            Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Stigma            shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close to 146B. Style length:            About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close            to 146D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Mandevilla.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    noted to be somewhat resistant to Fusarium. Plants of the new    Mandevilla have not been noted to resistant to pests and other    pathogens common to Mandevilla plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 43° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘FG1PK’ asillustrated and described.